Rifle rest



RIFLE REST Filed Deo. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QV. i 24 3o. lo 4 Q0 4INVENTOR. 'RUSSELL S. KES-rez BY I ATTOQHEYS R. s. KEs'rER 2,847,909

Aug. 19, 1958 RIFLE REST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1956 ATTOQ NEYS United States Paten-t 2,847,909 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 ticeinvention relatesgener'ally to rifle rests, and more particularlyrhasreferencertoanlimproved'- rest to be used 1n; obtamin'gtmaximumstability of the firearm while one isfaimingthe weapon-atstationarytargets or game, andl tot hel: further. used in relieving one of thenecessity of supportingthe weight ofI the weapon, so as to still furtherpromot'esaccuracy of aiming while at the same time providingincreased.comfortzfor the user.

Rie rests, to be employed during the aiming and tiring of the weapon,are not of course new in and of themselves: However, it has been noted,in connection with rh'efprior art"devices,.that in some instances saiddevices have'. been lacking inadaptabilityfor aording a proper supportfor the rie atlocations spaced along the length ofthe weapon, suchA astoinsure tothe maximum accurate. aimingy andfring thereof.

It hasbeen noted in connection with the devices of thepriorlarttht'thesame are not, in some instances, fully collapsibleandportable, and have tended to be excessivelyfcomplicated and heavy pinconstruction.

. Ithasfurther beennoted, in connection with gun rests previouslyconceived, that elevation and lowering of the muzzle of the .weapon inmany instances has involved the lfull'` supportingI ofthe weapon at itsstockby the user,

anddiasifurther involved the necessity of the users swinging the stockend upwardly or downwardly-to effect swinging'zmovement of'the muzzleend of the rie' in a vertical planetfor the purpose of locating thesights directly onntheztarget. This ofcourse has tended to produceinaccuracies, in view of the fact that in many instances it is difficultfor the user to swiftly pivot the weapon, when following the'practicedescribed, to the desired-position and then hold the same in positionfor ring.

`Still'furtherfin the devices heretofore conceived-ofwhiehl'have'knowledge, adjustments of the rifle position havenotbeencapable of being effected with; the desired speed. Reference is here hadto a mainadjustment of the rie position at a selected angle ofinclination or at the; horizontal, said main adjustments being of coursenecessary, and ,being followed by minute adjustments, eiectedtby thelmarksmanthrough moving the weapon itselfupon the rest for the purpose oflocating the sight onthe target.

Theimainiobjectof the present invention is to provide arie'rest whichwill have none of the deficiencies above noted.

Amore-'specific object is to form the rest in a manner such that: it canbe manufacturedl readily, at low cost, from-.inexpensive components,with the rest mainly comprisingrelatively light bit strong rods, eithertubular or off solid construction.

Another object-is toprovide a rie rest in which the support for the rearlend of the stock will be of flexible material, so that the stocksupport can yield within a predetermined-'range in 'a downward directionifit is desired toi swingl the muzzle upwardly, said ilexible supportVat the samejtirne 'stilli providing a firm base on which the stock willresti`l l' Still another object is to providel a rifle rest in which themain adjustment of the rie position can be effected swiftly merely bypivoting of a front leg frame upon the main frame or bench of thedevice, with the adjustment being' retained by engagement of the frontleg frame in the ground.

Still another object is to forma device of the character describedwhich, though affording a two-point support for `the weapon, andcharacterized' by its ready adjust-.lv ability in the manner previouslydescribed herein, will drawing, in which like reference charactersdesignate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a top planview of a rifle rest according to the presentinvention, a supported rifle being shown in phantom lines, with themarksmanseated in position to re the rile,.the marksman also being-shownin dotted` outline;

Figurey 2 is a side elevational view of the deviceand` of a supportedrifle in which phantom lines show-the support and the rie in oneposition 3f-adjustment;

Figure 3 isa perspective view of the rie rest in which a` portion oftheA rifle stock supportmember has been broken away;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse-sectional view substantially on linel4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, on the same scale as Figure 4,taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 2 with the rifle removed;

Figure 6v is a detail sectional view, still further en larged, of theconnection of the brace means to the rear leg'frame; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the device collapsed for storage ortransportation.

, The rest 10 constituting theV invention is adapted to support a rifleR at the rear end of the stock, and also at a location adjacent theforward end of the stock as shown in Figure 2. The rest mayappropriately be considered as comprising-four main, relatively pivotedcomponents, namely a main frame or bench, of a front legv frame, a rearleg frame, and a brace assembly. Each of these will be described inturn, in detail, hereinafter.

The main framehasbeengenerally designated 12, and has the general formof a rectangle elongated in a foreand-.aft direction and disposed eitherin a horizontal plane as shown in full lines in Figure 2, vor in any ofvarious adjustedplanes inclined to a comparatively slight degree fromthe horizontal, as shown in dotted lines in the same gure of thedrawing.

The main frame may be composed of tubular or solid rod stock, andincludes elongated, parallel, side rails 14 straight from end to endthereof and integral or otherwise made rigid at their rear ends-with atransversely extending rear end member 16, perpendicular to the lengthof the side rails.

The main frame is of open-center construction, and at itsv rear end, theopen center of the main frame is closed by a rectangular flexible rearstock supportv member 18, whichV can be formed of canvas or similarmaterial, said member extending the full distance transversely of themain frame and being laced atits-periphery, as at 20, to the side rails14, the rear end member 16, and a cross brace 22 of the main framelocated intermediate thev theless suitably iirm support for `the rearend ofthe rifle f stock, so that if 'necessary onecan press theA rear"end,

of the stock downwardly to a slight degree, for the purpose of lining upthe sights with the targets.

The front leg frame has been generally designated at 24, and mayappropriately be considered as being of inverted U-shape, including atits upper end a horizontally, transversely'extending front supportmember for the rie R, about which is circumposed a length of rubber hoseor similar material, providing a supporting sleeve 28 on which the rierests. Integral with the opposite ends of the member 26 are elongated,depending legs 30` which diverge in a downward direction and terminateat their lower ends in sharpened, ground-penetrating points or anchors32. Transversely bracing the front leg frame is a cross brace 34 fixedlyconnected between the divergent end portions of legs 30.

Adjacent its upper end, frame 24 pivots upon the front end of the mainframe 12, about a horizontal, transverse axis parallel to the frontsupport member 26. The pivotal connection of frame 24 to frame 10 can beeffected in any of various ways. In the illustrated example, the forwardextremities of side rails 14 are welded to coaxial hinge sleeves 36extending toward each other at the front end of the main frame, andreceiving a hinge rod 3S, the ends of which are xedly engaged in alignedopenings 40 formed in legs adjacent the upper ends of the legs.

Alternatively, the ends of rod could be welded or otherwise fixedlysecured to the back surfaces of legs 30.

At its rear end, main frame 12 is supported upon a rear leg framegenerally designated at 42. This is in the form, in a preferredembodiment, of an inverted isosceles' triangle, and is formed with ahorizontal, transverse, tubular hinge bar or cross piece 44 at its upperend, sleeved on and rotating upon a pin 46 the ends of which underlieside rails 14 adjacent member 16. Rigid with and extending downwardlyfrom the ends of the sleeve or tubular cross piece 44 are downwardlyconvergent rear legs 48, welded or otherwise fixedly joined at theirconvergent ends and terminating, at said convergent ends thereof, in atubular opening having welded therein one end of a connector pin 50(Figure 6), the lower end of which extends downwardly from and beyondthe convergent ends of legs 48.

The bracing assembly comprises an elongated, straight brace rod 52,which at its forward end is rigid with 'a tubular, transverse hingesleeve 54 rotating upon the midlength portion of rod 4t) (see Figure 5).At its rear end, the brace rod 52 receives a pin 56 which is welded inand projects out of the brace rod, terminating in a pointed, downwardlyangled extension 58 engageable in the ground G.

Welded to and extending upwardly from the rear end of rod 52 is a sleeve60, having a threaded opening in which is engaged a clamping screw 62.Pin 50 is receivable in sleeve 60 as shown in Figure 6, and is iixedlyengaged in the sleeve by means of the clamping screw.

In use of the device, it may normally be maintained in a collapsedposition in which the mentioned main components thereof are disposedalmost in coplanar relation, whereas to permit storage or transportationof the rest in a relatively small area, having a height or width littlegreater than the thickness of any of the rods previously describedherein. This is shown to advantage in Figure 7. It will be noted thatfront leg frame 24 pivots about the axis defined by rod 38 intosubstantially coplanar relation to the main frame 12. Bracing assembly52 similarly pivots about the rod 38, into a position underlying themain frame, with the bracing assembly disposed betwen the main frame andthe front leg frame. The rear leg frame pivots forwardly about the axisdefined by pin 46, also into underlying relation to the main frame,extending between the main frame and the bracing assembly. The finalresult is that the entire device is collapsible into an almost wholly atcondition.

In setting up the rest, the front and rear leg frames are pivotedoutwardly to their Figure 2 positions, with the bracing assembly 52extending at an acute angle to the main frame, after which pin 50 isengaged iixedly in sleeve 60. The rest has a three-point support uponthe ground, aorded by the pointed tips 32 at the front end of thedevice, and by the tip 58 at the rear end of and located mediallybetween the opposite sides of the device.

In this position of the parts, the front rifle support member projectsupwardly above the plane of the main frame as shown in Figure 2, andsupports the fore part of the rifle stock. The rear end of the rie stockis supported upon the exible member 18, and the user seats himself atright angles to the rifle rest with the rear leg frame of the structurebetween his legs.

The weapon will now be supported by the device at points longitudinallyspaced on the weapon, with the front point of support being designatedat 64 and being disposed well forwardly of the trigger. It will bereadily perceived that if it is desired to elevate the muzzle, one mayshift the weapon forwardly so that the stock rises to a short extentupon the front rie support member, thereby ele-v vating the muzzleinstantly. Elevation of the muzzle to a slight degree can also beobtained by a slight downward pressure on the rear end of the stock,tending to depress the rear support member 18. Lowering of the muzzle iseffected by retraction `of the weapon to the desired extent. l

If it is desired to effect a change in the main adjust-l ment of therifle position, as for example from the full to the dotted linepositions of Figure 2, the tip 58 at the lower end of rear leg frame 42can be disengaged from the ground, and the rear leg, brace and mainframe can be swung aboutthe axis dened by the rod or pin 38, therebychanging the angularity of the front leg frame relative to the groundsurface, correspondingly.

raising or lowering the front end of the mainframe relative to the rearend of the main frame and vertically adjusting sleeve 28. In theillustrated example, the front end of the main frame has been adjustedupwardly bymoving the tip 58 to the phantom line position from the fullline position of Figure 2. The tips 32 remain engaged in the groundsurface, as is readily apparent, when the adjustment is made.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily 'confinedto the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, since such construction is only intended to be illustrativeof the principles of operation and thev means presently devised to carryout said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehendsany minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rifle rest comprising an elongated, approximately horizontal mainframe; front and rear leg frames pivotally connected to the front andrear ends, respectively, of the main frame for movement about axesextending transversely of the main frame between collapsed andmainframe-supporting positions, the front leg frame projecting upwardlyabove the main frame when in its supporting position to support a rie ata forward location thereon, the main frame including means adjacent therear end thereof for supporting the rear end of the rie said meansembodying a ilexible support member extending transversely over the mainframe adjacent the rear end and secured to the sides and rear end ofsaid main frame; and brace means connected to the front end of the mainframe at one end of the brace means, the other end of the brace meanshaving a detachable connection to the lower end of the rear leg frame,said brace means comprising an elongated rod pivotally connected to thefront end of the main frame for swinging movement about the axis of thepivotal connection of the front leg frame, said detachable connection ofthe brace rod to the rear leg .frame comprising a sleeve extendingupwardly from the brace rod, the rear leg frame including a dependingpin engageable in said sleeve to the main frame.

2. A rie rest comprising an elongated, approximately horizontal mainframe; front and rear leg frames pivotally connected to the front andrear ends, respectively, of the main frame for movement about axesextending transversely of the main frame between collapsed andmain-frame-supporting positions, the front leg frame projecting upwardlyabove the main frame when in its supporting position to support a rifleat a forward location thereon, the main frame including means adjacentthe rear end thereof for supporting the rear end of the rie; and bracemeans connected to the front end of the main frame at one end of thebrace means, the other end of the brace means having a detachableconnection to the lower end of the rear leg frame, said brace meanscomprising an elongated rod pivotally connected to the front end of themain frame for swinging movement about the axis of the pivotalconnection of the front leg frame to the main frame, said detachableconnection of the brace rod to the rear leg frame comprising a sleeveextending upwardly from the brace rod, the rear leg frame including adepending pin engageable in said sleeve, the brace rod being formedrearwardly of the sleeve with a groundpenetrating point, the front legframe including transversely spaced, ground-penetrating pointsco-operating with the point of the brace rod in providing a threepointsupport for the rifle rest.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,867Norton Apr. 7, 1896 1,484,164 Wickham Feb. 19, 1924 1,484,476 CurrieFeb. 19, 1924 2,427,365 Meister Sept. 16, 1947 2,480,702 Bradford Aug.30, 1949 2,589,039 Booth Mar. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,379 FranceJune 26, 1923 677,531 Germany June 13, 1939 682,126 Germany Oct. 7, 1939

